Misfits U14 Volleyball practice (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

MISFITS VOLLEYBALL

Merritt’s Misfits punching above their weight, making moves in B.C. club volleyball

Jan 30, 2026 | 4:23 PM

MERRITT, B.C. — Data from BC High School Sports shows a massive decline in enrollment for girls once they make it into Grade 9. No community is immune to the decrease and while communities like Kamloops have club sport options a plenty for young kids, smaller cities can struggle to provide local opportunities. Searching for a solution to that very issue, the Misfits Volleyball Club was born in Merritt, quickly cementing their place in a sports loving community.

Back in 2023, the Merritt Misfits were born. Comprised of just one team, they were the new kids on the club volleyball block. Jump to 2026, and there is now five Misfit squads spanning from U12 to U17.

“We are excited about the numbers. We didn’t anticipate this growth so fast. But ever since the Misfits have come around, we have just had a huge exponential growth in a want for the sport, a need for the sport, parents asking about it… ‘When’s the next camp coming up?’ We are ready to accommodate so it’s really great to see,” said Misfits organizer and coach for the U14 squad Gian Cavaliere. 

“I really had a passion for the sport since I joined it in elementary school so it seemed like a real cool opportunity for me,” said Jaya Engdahl, a setter on the U14 team. 

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In a community exemplified by grit and determination, hockey still reigns supreme, but slowly and surely, Merritt’s own ‘Island of Misfit Toys’ is ensuring volleyball is undoubtedly on the rise and unequivocally here to stay.

“My wife claims to have possibly created the name herself, but I’ll give her half the credit,” joked Cavaliere. 

“I grew up in this town and we have always been a town just full of people who are different personalities, different backgrounds and quite diverse. In the end, Misfits just seemed to accommodate who we are in this town. It just felt right,” added Cavaliere. 

A truly fitting name for the upstart squad.

“We’re such a small town and we are just not like everybody else,” said Cleo McKenzie, a U14 setter. 

Merritt is the smallest community in British Columbia to have a club volleyball team, but that hasn’t stopped the Misfits from securing big wins across the province, including recently in Kelowna. 

“For us, it’s almost like the same team each year, so we’ve played together forever and it just feels a little bit more special when we’ve won because we’ve known each other for longer and obviously because [other cities] have way more kids to choose from,” said Alexandra Cavaliere, a middle on the U14 Misfits. 

“We’re punching out wins that we shouldn’t be punching out and it’s just the passion the girls have,” said Cavaliere. 

“It’s just great because everybody thinks Merritt is just a small little community that doesn’t have much sports, but since we are going so good, it’s great to see,” added Stella Elliot. 

Cavaliere’s goal was to keep girls active in sports and develop a love for health and wellness, all while building a culture of family.

“We want to make girls feel included. They feel empowered to be leaders and be strong teammates to each other and they can become future leaders, as well, and maybe become future coaches and run their own future camps,” said Cavaliere. “And if one happens to play college volleyball eventually, for me that would be the ultimate.”

While maybe the ultimate for Cavaliere, that dream is well in the minds of his team who have fallen in love with volleyball.

“I would like to play some pro volleyball when I get older,” said Engdahl. 

‘I’m hoping as far as I can go — so maybe college, pro, I don’t know,” added McKenzie.